Lucinda's Holy Salvation
by The Gothic Disney Fanboy
Summary: Inspired by the 1977 Italian horror film "Suspiria". Lucinda the Little Witch, who's a baby at heart, is a newcomer at Mrs. Lovett's Private Christian Boarding School for Socially Abnormal Witches in Dunwitty Village. During her stay, she quickly discovers that things aren't what they seem to be. Regular Universe.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, my fellow _Sofia the First _fans! I'm back with an all-new fanfiction. However, this one's a horror story and it's crossed over with characters from the Broadway musical _Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street_. The heroine of this fanfic is a fan-favorite _Sofia the First _character, Lucinda the Little Witch.**

**The plot is set after the _Sofia the First _episode "Mom's the Word".**

* * *

><p><em>Sofia the First<em> belongs to the Walt Disney Company.

Sweeney_ Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street _belongs to Stephen Sondheim.

Read and review!

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><p><strong>1. An Abnormal Discovery <strong>

"Lucinda! Come down to lunch, my Little Witchlet!" Marla called from downstairs.

There was no answer.

"Lucinda! Aren't you feeling well?" Marla asked.

"I'm fine, Mom," the young witch grunted.

"Then what's the holdup?" Marla queried.

"Come upstairs and I'll show you," Lucinda replied.

Marla marched upstairs to her daughter's room. She put her hand on the doorknob and turned it. What she found inside was anything but normal. On the far left of the room were a changing mat and a pack of Size 7 Huggies Little Movers diapers which had been torn open.

Sitting in the middle of the floor was a 9-year-old girl. She had fair skin, wavy black hair, thin eyebrows, and lime-green eyes. The left side of her hair was in a beaded braid at the front. At the back were two ponytails. Her clothes consisted of a magenta tunic with a light green undershirt. Around her bosom was an indigo corset with pink X-shaped laces. Her purple miniskirt had light green owl motifs printed all over it. On her feet were periwinkle-and-lavender striped stockings and purple sneakers. On her head was a purple pointed hat with a wide brim and an indigo hatband. Placed in the right side of the hatband were three feathers of orange, green, and blue. Over her shoulders was a purple cape with a high collar and emerald brooch. Completing her look was a pair of violet fingerless gloves.

"Hello, Mom," Lucinda babbled in a babyish manner, sucking on her thumb. "Are you happy to see me?"

Lucinda lifted up her miniskirt to reveal that she was wearing one of the diapers from the pack. Her panties were sticking out of her underwear drawer.

"What is all of this?" Marla tried hard not to panic. "Is this another phase you're going through?"

"Calm down, Mom," Lucinda advised. "I bought the changing mat and those diapers with my own money."

Her mother took several deep breaths.

"I still want an explanation, young lady," Marla said.

"You know how you told me that I'll always be your Little Witchlet?" Lucinda asked.

"Of course," Marla cracked a smile. "But I didn't expect you to take it literally."

Lucinda giggled. She and her mother were witches living in the mystical kingdom of Enchancia. They usually wore their everyday outfits out in public, ignoring the strange looks that villagers gave them. Marla did her best to preserve her daughter's cuteness and innocence. When she had turned 9 years old, Lucinda stopped growing physically because of a growth disorder, but that didn't stop her from being super smart.

"Don't worry, Mommy," Lucinda waddled over to Marla and hugged her. "I'll always be your Little Witchlet at heart. If you want to do anything special for me, that's fine."

Marla's eyes lit up.

"Speaking of doing special things for you," Marla notified Lucinda. "I've been meaning to talk to you about something."

"What?" Lucinda wondered.

"Since I've homeschooled you for quite some time, I've decided to send you to a special boarding school," Marla informed her daughter.

"What school?" Lucinda asked.

"Mrs. Lovett's Private Christian Boarding School for Socially Abnormal Witches," Marla informed. "It's located right here in Dunwitty. You'll enjoy it there, I promise."

Lucinda wrapped her arms around her mother's waist.

"You know what, Mommy?" she asked.

"What?" Marla scratched her chin.

"I love you," Lucinda acknowledged.

After lunch, Marla and Lucinda packed their supplies. Lucinda gathered everything she needed for the trip, including her babyhood trinkets.

"Ready?" Marla winked at Lucinda.

"Ready," Lucinda winked back.

The two witches went outside and hopped onto their brooms. They flew along the streets, stopping at times to make sure that there weren't any villagers in their way. They halted in front of a secluded lot.

Standing on the lot was a two-story building which strongly resembled a Victorian house. It had reddish-pink walls, 33 windows, and a stone foundation. The roof was shingled with glimmering black tiles.

Approaching the front porch, Lucinda noticed a plaque beside the door that read:

MRS. LOVETT'S PRIVATE CHRISTIAN BOARDING SCHOOL FOR SOCIALLY ABNORMAL WITCHES

"This must be the place," Lucinda assumed.

"Have fun, my Little Witchlet," Marla blew a kiss to her daughter.

Lucinda picked up her suitcase and entered the boarding school, strolling down the entrance hall to the main lobby. The walls of the main lobby were dark blue velvet. Ornamenting the room were paintings of Biblical figures such as Adam and Eve, Jesus and his disciples, and the Virgin Mary.

Sitting at the desk was a fair-skinned woman in her 30s. She wore a Gothic knee-length dress made of black lace. Covering her hands were a pair of fishnet gloves. Under her gown were fishnet stockings and black stiletto heels. Applied to her face was ruby red lipstick, black eye shadow, and dark purple eyeliner. Her dirty blonde hair was worn in an unusual hairstyle: Two pigtails at the sides with loose braids.

"Excuse me; I'm here to meet Mrs. Lovett?" Lucinda interrupted the silence.

"Hello, dear," the woman went over to Lucinda and shook her hand. "I'm Mrs. Lovett. Welcome to my boarding school. Here, witches from all walks of life come here to celebrate their inner weirdness and abnormalities. Every part of this school is fireproof. That is, except the basement. Nobody dares to go down there nowadays. Some students think that it's haunted."

Lucinda hid behind Mrs. Lovett as a tall, dark-haired man in his 60s—dressed in a white shirt with a black leather jacket and black trousers—entered the room. Clipped to the collar of his shirt was a black-and-grey striped tie. His skin was pale and his left eye was odd.

"Don't be afraid, little darling," Mrs. Lovett held Lucinda's hand. "It's alright. This is my fiancé, Sweeney Todd. He's the director of the school and one of the twelve staff members here, including myself. Even though Sweeney looks frightening, I'm sure that he means no harm."

Lucinda whimpered as Sweeney took out a straight-razor from his pocket and polished it.

"What's your name?" Mrs. Lovett asked.

"Lucinda," Lucinda answered.

"So, Lucinda, you are our newest student. What makes you weird? What puts you outside of the norm?" Mrs. Lovett beamed.

"Well, if I must," Lucinda sighed.

She put her thumb in her mouth and lifted up her miniskirt. Mrs. Lovett was skeptical at first, but then she got into a giggle fit.

"You look so adorable!" Mrs. Lovett hugged Lucinda. "So, you're a baby at heart?"

Lucinda nodded.

"That's so cute and charming!" Mrs. Lovett patted Lucinda's head. "I'm very weird myself, actually. You see, I lure homeless domestic cats into my kitchen and give them baths. Then, I remove their claws, whiskers, and eyeballs. After that, I skin them, carefully take out the bones, and put their tender flesh through the meat grinder—grinding it three times for extra flavor—to use in my famous meat pies. They're the best pies in Dunwitty."

Lucinda cringed. Sweeney's eyes bugled as he gritted his teeth.

"So that's the shit I've been eating?" he cursed. "No wonder it tastes freaking awful."

"Sweeney! Mind your language!" Mrs. Lovett scolded. "We have a child amidst our presence."

Mrs. Lovett put her hands on Lucinda's shoulder.

"Alright, dearie," she tilted her head to a nearby staircase. "Let's head upstairs and I'll show you my dormitory. All of the other dorm rooms are occupied."


	2. Chapter 2

**2. Roommates and Rumors**

Mrs. Lovett's dormitory was huge. It had lime green walls with turtle doves painted along them. Against the walls were three beds with saffron-colored sheets. In a corner was a bathroom and in another corner was a dining table. In the back of the room was a small kitchen with a stainless steel fridge and a microwave.

Sitting on the second bed was a 19-year-old, ivory-skinned girl clothed in a sea-blue pantsuit. She had walnut-colored eyes and curly blonde ringlets that reached down to her waist. Perched on her shoulders were a Green Finch and a Linnet. Kissing her on the lips was a 19-year-old sailor.

"Greetings, Johanna Todd and Anthony Hope," Mrs. Lovett bowed. "Sorry to interrupt your make-out session. I want you to meet your new roommate, Lucinda."

Lucinda smiled at Johanna and Anthony.

"Hello there, little one," Johanna curtseyed. "You're quite a cutie-pie. I'm sure that we'll do nicely together."

Lucinda set her suitcase down on the first bed and unpacked her supplies: Four baby bottles, the changing mat, a box of baby wipes, her clothes, a teddy bear, and the pack of diapers from her house. She went into the bathroom and removed her cape, unlaced her corset, and took off her clothes, changing into a sleeveless purple nightshirt.

When she went back into the room, Johanna and Anthony's eyes widened as their jaws dropped at the sight of Lucinda's diaper.

"Yes," Lucinda admitted. "I know this isn't normal. But listen, if you're going to make fun of me, then I'll find some other roommates."

"No, please don't!" Johanna begged. "We weren't being mean or bullying you. We were just shocked."

Lucinda put her clothes in the closet. As she did, she heard somebody knocking on the door.

"Johanna!" the voices of two men called from outside the dormitory.

"Oh crap," Anthony quivered. "It's Headmaster Turpin and Professor Bamford."

Anthony hid under the bed as the headmasters entered the room. They were both dressed in black tuxedos and black loafers. Headmaster Turpin was a tall and skinny 56-year-old man. His gray hair and moustache were neatly combed. Professor Bamford was a short and fat 33-year-old man with teeth that were seldom brushed and messy chestnut-brown hair. He sported a chestnut-brown goatee.

"Good evening, Johanna," Headmaster Turpin kissed Johanna's hand. "Who is this little one?"

"That's Lucinda," Johanna clarified.

Headmaster Turpin looked closely at Lucinda and her belongings.

"Why is she dressed like that?" he criticized. "She's clearly 9 years old, and yet she's in diapers."

"She's a baby at heart," Johanna defended. "It's not wrong or anything, she just loves being who she is on the inside. What she's doing isn't harming anybody. Just like how I dress in men's clothing and talk to birds. If you have a problem with it, then you can go to Hell."

Lucinda nervously smiled at Headmaster Turpin. He shot a disapproving glance at her.

"You are a deviant disgrace, you hear me?" Headmaster Turpin bellowed at Lucinda. "What I've seen from you is highly irregular. It is not something that I would qualify as socially acceptable. By the way, Johanna, I hope you're not keeping that stupid boy, Anthony, in your room. He has caused enough trouble for me."

"Anthony isn't with us," Johanna fibbed. "And he isn't stupid. By the way, he fatally poisoned himself last Tuesday."

Headmaster Turpin and Professor Bamford chortled together as they left the room. When the coast was clear, Anthony crept out from his hiding place.

"That was a close one," he whispered to Johanna.

Since it was almost dinnertime, the four friends decided to engage in a conversation.

"Hey, guys, have you heard any rumors or gossip lately?" Lucinda asked.

"I have," Johanna raised her hand. "Some people say that my father—the director of the school—is a madman. I'm not sure if this is true or not."

"Are you talking about Mr. Todd?" Anthony chuckled.

"Yes, sir," Johanna asserted.

"Speaking of madmen, I've heard that during the previous nights, some of our students had been brutally murdered by two men in Grim Reaper costumes," Mrs. Lovett added. "When I found out, I was horrified."

Lucinda gasped. She turned to Mrs. Lovett.

"While my mother is away, will you be my temporary Mommy?" Lucinda looked up at Mrs. Lovett. "I want somebody to protect me from those psychos."

"Anything for you, dearie," Mrs. Lovett grinned. "Nobody's going to harm you, not while I'm around."

After a dinner of sausages and meatballs, the quartet brushed their teeth and prepared to go to sleep. Mrs. Lovett tucked Lucinda into bed.

"Goodnight, Baby Lucinda," she kissed Lucinda on the forehead. "May God protect you from the powers of Hell."

"Goodnight, Baby Lucinda," Johanna repeated as she kissed Lucinda on the cheeks.

"Goodnight, everybody!" Anthony gathered Johanna's birds as he left the room. "This has been quite a rough day for me."

Mrs. Lovett turned off the light, causing the room to glow a scarlet tint. Lucinda felt relieved at the thought of having a mother figure to be her bodyguard. She was safe and sound from vicious madmen and crazed serial killers.

Or so she thought.


	3. Chapter 3

**3. Grim Reapers**

Anthony tossed and turned in his sleep. Nightmares were tormenting his adolescent mind.

"No, Headmaster Turpin, you're the monster!" he snored. "You're the one who doesn't understand romance or being faithful to your partner."

He awoke to the sound of the door opening. In crept two skeletal figures cloaked in shadows. At first, Anthony thought they were demons from Hell, coming to take him away.

"Please don't hurt me," he whispered. "I'm innocent. Innocent, I tell you!"

Anthony looked closely. They weren't demons. They were two men in Grim Reaper costumes. One of them was holding a straight-razor, while the other held a paring-knife. They strutted to Johanna's birdcage, where the Green Finch and Linnet were kept.

As Anthony watched, the first Grim Reaper grabbed the Green Finch and squeezed its hands tightly around the bird's neck. The second Grim Reaper plunged the paring-knife into the Green Finch's stomach, blood pouring freely from the wound.

"Oh my God," Anthony shivered. "Johanna's going to freak out when she finds out about this!"

The first Grim Reaper clutched the Linnet and slit the unfortunate bird's throat with the razor. Once this horrid deed was finished, the two figures tiptoed out the door, closing it behind them.


	4. Chapter 4

**4. Distress and Discussion**

Johanna's tears fell into her bowl of oatmeal, gently staining her morning meal. She knocked her fists against the table.

"This can't be happening," she wept. "I can't believe that those two madmen slaughtered my bird friends overnight."

"Yep, it's really tragic," Mrs. Lovett grieved as she bottle-fed Lucinda. "If I were you, this traumatic event would be enough to make me lose my mind."

Anthony came up to Johanna and kissed her on the cheek.

"Don't worry, my sweet," he comforted her. "As long as you have us by your side, you won't be sad."

"That's very kind of you," Johanna brushed her hair. "But I'm afraid that your affectionate words aren't helping me. Now, please excuse me while I go into the bathroom and cry my eyes out."

Johanna walked into the bathroom and closed the door. Lucinda burped as Mrs. Lovett patted the infantile witch on the back, setting the now-empty bottle down on the table.

"Poor thing, poor thing," the woman mourned. "I hope this doesn't affect her for too long."

In the bathroom, Johanna dried her eyes with a towel. She truly loved her Green Finch and Linnet with all the love a heart could possibly give. Oh, what a fool she was to leave them out in the open.

"It's my entire fault," she despaired.

Outside, Lucinda heard her friend's sorrowful complaints.

"This is devastating," she told Mrs. Lovett. "First, four of the students were killed, and now it's Johanna's birds. Have we lost all faith in humanity, Mommy?"

"I don't know, Baby Lucinda," Mrs. Lovett bit her lip as she plopped her elbow on the table.

"Maybe the boarding school is cursed," Lucinda theorized. "That might be the reason behind the killings."

"Or it could just be madness," Mrs. Lovett guessed. "I think we should contact my fiancé and see if he knows anything about these matters."

Holding Mrs. Lovett's hand, Lucinda was led downstairs to Mr. Todd's office. The walls were black-and-grey striped. On the far left of the wall was a doorknob in the shape of an inverted pentagram. Seated at a black ebony desk was none other than Sweeney Todd. He looked up at his fiancée.

"Hello, Mrs. Lovett," he greeted. "I see that you have the little baby witch with you."

"We came to talk to you about the murders," Lucinda explicated.

"It's very serious business," Mrs. Lovett added.

Lucinda took a seat at Sweeney's desk.

"Do you know anything about what happened last night?" the young witch asked.

"Of course," Sweeney said. "Headmaster Turpin told me all about the bird incident."

"Did you know that the killers were dressed in Grim Reaper costumes?" Mrs. Lovett inquired.

"No, I didn't," Sweeney inclined. "Why do you bring this up?"

"Because it's something that doesn't make sense to me," Lucinda shrugged. "I don't know why a murder would wear a costume while killing somebody. Also, one of them was carrying a straight-razor, and the other carried a knife."

"You have done very well, little baby witch," Sweeney complimented. "Congratulations on telling me how much you know about these horrific events. I'll contact the police as soon as possible."

"Thanks, but I'd prefer if you called me Lucinda," Lucinda advised.

"Whatever," Sweeney reckoned. "I don't really care."

Lucinda got up from her chair and rejoined Mrs. Lovett.

"Thanks for helping us, sweetheart!" Mrs. Lovett waved at Sweeney.

"You're welcome," Sweeney waved back.

As Lucinda left the office, she took one final look at the pentagram-shaped doorknob.

"Did you see that?" she inquired to Mrs. Lovett. "Did you see the pentagram?"

"Yes, dearie," Mrs. Lovett patted the child's shoulder. "He recently put it in his office for decorative purposes."'

"But what if it's a clue?" Lucinda presumed.

"Maybe, maybe not," Mrs. Lovett supposed.

Lucinda knew deep in her heart that the pentagram meant something.

_It has to be a clue,_ she thought. _It must be a clue._


	5. Chapter 5

**5. Brainwashed Suicide**

That night, Anthony was tucking Lucinda into bed since Mrs. Lovett was too tired to do so. Anthony took a small paper out of his pocket. Drawn on the paper was a picture of the doorknob.

"Where did you get that?" Lucinda asked.

"From my suitcase," Anthony said. "Do you know what this symbolizes, Lucinda?"

"No," Lucinda yawned.

"This pentagram is a symbol of evil and the occult," Anthony shivered. "This might be the key to where Mr. Todd, Turpin, and Bamford go every night. Besides, at nighttime, I hear their footsteps going somewhere beneath the school."

Lucinda yawned again as her eyes grew heavy.

"Please, Lucinda!" Anthony pleaded. "Don't fall asleep, little girl."

Lucinda grunted as she forced her eyes open.

"Lucinda, do you know anything about Satan?" Anthony solicited.

His question was left unanswered as the little witch's head fell back against the pillow. Anthony turned around as the door opened. In walked a man in a Grim Reaper costume, clutching a straight-razor in his hand.

Anthony covered his mouth to prevent himself from screaming and ran out of the room, running down the corridor. He looked to the left, spotting the door to the main lobby. The optimistic sailor sprinted to the door and grabbed hold of the handle.

"Come on," he clenched his teeth as sweat broke out over his forehead. "Open up, damn it!"

His efforts to open the door proved to be useless. The handle wouldn't budge. He looked back. The Grim Reaper was slowly advancing towards him.

"Don't hurt me," Anthony prayed. "Please, mister, don't hurt me!"

The Grim Reaper pulled back his hood to reveal a familiar face. He waved his hand over Anthony's forehead.

"Your life is useless," he croaked. "It is nothing but a delusion."

Anthony felt the power of his words overcome his mind.

"Nothing but a delusion," he repeated.

"You deserve to die," the Reaper said. "Survival means nothing to you."

The Reaper handed the straight-razor to him.

"Kill yourself and the nightmare will end," the Reaper beamed wickedly. "I promise."

Anthony did as he was told and slit his own throat. His body fell onto the floor with a thud.

The Reaper looked down upon the body of his latest victim. It was wickedly beautiful, like a sadistic work of art. It was worth his killing time.


	6. Chapter 6

**6. Religious Conversation**

When Lucinda and Johanna woke up the following morning, they went into Anthony's dormitory. But they noticed something different. Anthony's clothes were missing from the closet and his possessions were gone. As they were peering around the room, Sweeney Todd walked in.

"Looking for Anthony?" he assumed.

"Yes, sir," Lucinda curtseyed. "Good morning, Mr. Todd."

"Anthony left the school," Sweeney lied. "He packed his bags and hurried out of here."

"But that's impossible," Johanna contradicted. "He was with us last night."

"Anthony was a stupid boy," Sweeney chuckled at Johanna. "I can't believe that you thought he was suitable for you to marry, my dear daughter. He was always happy and cheerful, and I hated him for that."

Sweeney left the dormitory. Lucinda kept her nightshirt on while Johanna changed into a male-sized suit and tie. The two females went downstairs to the main lobby. They scampered into the kitchen, where Mrs. Lovett was pulling a tray of meat pies out of the oven. For her morning attire, Mrs. Lovett wore a vicar's outfit. Around her neck on a golden chain was a crucifix.

"Good morning, dears," Mrs. Lovett set the tray down on the table. "Did my precious Baby Lucinda have a good night's sleep?"

"No, not really," Lucinda insisted.

"What's the matter?" Mrs. Lovett worried. "Are you still wetting the bed?"

"No, I stopped wetting the bed when I was 5," Lucinda giggled. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Yes, dear?" Mrs. Lovett turned to the little witch.

"Do you believe in Satan?" Lucinda inquired.

Mrs. Lovett bobbed her head up and down.

"Of course, I do," she acknowledged.

"What does Satan do?" Johanna proclaimed.

"Satan, otherwise known as the Devil or the Black God, is feared by many Christians," Mrs. Lovett preached. "He is deadly and destructive; bringing misery and woe to people. If we do something bad, we usually blame our behavior on him. Groups of people who worship Satan, called satanic cults, celebrate his demonic powers and sacrifice the most helpless of victims."

"Do you think that your fiancé might be part of a satanic cult?" Lucinda supposed.

"Maybe, maybe not," Mrs. Lovett handed two meat pies to Johanna and Lucinda. "However, I do know that Anthony has suspected my fiancé of being in league with Satan, since he hates the church and anything to do with Christianity. But don't worry, my darlings. I'll always be here to protect you."

Lucinda and Johanna bit into their savory breakfasts. The pies were filled with ground cat meat and melted cheddar cheese. The very taste of these culinary masterpieces stimulated their taste buds.

"Can you tell us more about satanic cults?" Johanna requested with her mouth full.

"A satanic cult is like a dragon," Mrs. Lovett compared. "Without its leader, the cult cannot survive. Just like a headless dragon. When it comes to the occult and us witches, skepticism is the reaction of most modern folks nowadays. But there are some people out there who know that witchcraft is alive and breathing. That, my dears, is a fact of life."

Johanna crossed her arms and tugged at her hair.

"Meet us at your dormitory tonight," she affirmed. "We're planning on investigating the whereabouts of the other staff members."

"Well, alright," Mrs. Lovett agreed. "I'll join you."

"Sounds like a plan," Johanna shook hands with Mrs. Lovett.

Lucinda embraced Mrs. Lovett, knowing that she needn't be afraid since she had her bodyguard at her side. But what bothered her was the thought of investigating the whereabouts of her fiancé.

_A little investigating never hurt anybody. _She thought to herself.

Or did it?


	7. Chapter 7

**7. Deliverance from Evil**

At midnight, during a thunderstorm, Mrs. Lovett, Johanna, and Lucinda heard the staff members' footsteps going downstairs.

"Alright, Lucinda," Johanna smooched the child on the cheek. "Let's go."

The three young ladies snuck out of the dormitory and treaded softly downstairs to the main lobby, entering Sweeney Todd's office. Lightning flashed against the walls.

"This is my father's office?" Johanna disapproved. "It looks so bland and distasteful."

Lucinda and Mrs. Lovett put their index fingers up to their lips, motioning to Johanna to keep her mouth shut.

"Fine, I'll shut up," Johanna zipped her lip immediately.

Lucinda went up to the pentagram-shaped doorknob. She put her hand on it and twirled it around counter-clockwise.

"It isn't a decoration," she whispered to Mrs. Lovett. "It's an actual doorknob!"

The section of wall that the doorknob was attached to swung open, revealing a wooden staircase. The three females moved stealthily down the staircase, holding onto the railing. At the bottom of the staircase was an ebony doorway. Draped over the doorway were curtains made of black gauze. The trio pushed them aside to unveil a narrow corridor.

"This must be the basement," Lucinda remarked.

Mrs. Lovett and Johanna held onto Lucinda as they ventured through the corridor. Painted on the wallpaper were satanic symbols and anti-Christian graffiti. At the end of the corridor was an ebony door.

Lucinda quietly opened the door, uncovering a chapel-like room with four stained-glass windows and a round table with three ivory chairs. In the middle of the floor was a gigantic inverted pentagram with the face of Satan in the center. Printed on the wall was a black-and-white illustration of the demon Baphomet.

Sitting in the biggest chair at the table—which was carved to make it look like it was made from parts of a skeleton—was Sweeney Todd. He was conversing with Headmaster Turpin and Professor Bamford. To the female trio's horror, the three men were dressed in Grim Reaper costumes.

"We must exterminate that little infantile bitch and my fiancée," Mr. Todd boomed. "They must die! We must make them suffer! Do you understand?"

"Yes, master," Headmaster Turpin and Professor Bamford bowed. "We've already slain the other students, including that happy-go-lucky son of a bastard. His belongings have been thrown into Mrs. Lovett's oven."

"Those good-for-nothing Christians are a threat to us and inferior to our almighty powers," Sweeney gloated. "They are an unholy abomination in the eyes of the lord Satan. Thus, we kill them in honor of him."

The three men gathered their weapons and exited the room. Despite their stern and wicked nature, they were too slow to notice Mrs. Lovett, Johanna and Lucinda darting to the right side of the corridor into an oval-shaped chamber. They closed the door behind them.

"I think we're safe," Johanna gasped for air.

The group looked at their surroundings. Displayed around the chamber were statuettes of Biblical demons. Piled in a corner of the chamber were the rotting, maggot-infested bodies of the previously murdered students. Johanna, along with Mrs. Lovett and Lucinda, screamed.

"This can't be true!" Mrs. Lovett clasped her hands to her cheeks. "This can't be true!"

Johanna turned around only to witness another despicable atrocity: Crucified to the wall was the bloodied body of Anthony. Placed next to him were candle holders with freshly-lit candles and a miniature statue of Satan. The feathers in the statue's wings were jagged, bony needles.

"Oh my God!" Johanna screeched.

Johanna broke into hysteric sobbing. Mrs. Lovett couldn't handle the nightmare either. She wrapped her arms around Lucinda's waist, cuddling the girl close to her.

"Have all the demons from Hell been sent to torment us?" she wailed.

Lucinda's eyes swelled up with tears as she began to cry. Unfortunately, she was heard by the three men who kicked down the door with their mighty feet and stormed into the room. Sweeney pointed his straight-razor at Mrs. Lovett's throat as he pinned her against the wall.

"I will end you, Mrs. Lovett," he seethed. "I know you love your precious Baby Lucinda more than me, don't you? Well, my henchmen will do the unspeakable to her, and you'll just have to watch."

Mrs. Lovett watched helplessly as Headmaster Turpin and Professor Bamford shoved Lucinda to the ground, slashing her across the face with their knives. Mr. Todd burst into psychotic laughter.

"Yes! Give her what she deserves!" he chortled insanely.

As his laughter sounded throughout the room, Mrs. Lovett, who had know discovered the true nature of her fiancé, held up the crucifix to his face.

"By the power of God, the Holy Father, I command you to leave my precious Baby Lucinda alone!" she boomed.

Sweeney froze at the sight of the crucifix. It was a symbol of peace and purity, and he was a man of demonic qualities. Before he could react, Mrs. Lovett grabbed her fiancé's straight razor and punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground.

Poor Lucinda whimpered as the knife pressed dangerously close to her throat.

"LEAVE THIS HOLY CHILD ALONE!" Mrs. Lovett raised her voice as she pushed Headmaster Turpin and Professor Bamford.

In a spasm of maternal rage, she picked up the straight-razor and shifted toward Sweeney Todd, clutching him by his cheeks. Lucinda averted her eyes as the razor's blade slid across Mr. Todd's throat.

_Good riddance! _Mrs. Lovett thought.

Johanna bumped her hips against the candle-holders, accidentally knocking three of them over. Sparks of flame appeared on the floor.

_This isn't good. _She thought. _In a couple of minutes, the whole basement will go up in flames._

Seizing two of the needles from the Satan statuette, Johanna sneak-attacked Headmaster Turpin and Professor Bamford, stabbing them in their necks. They fell onto the floors with their hands on their chests.

Lucinda heaved a sigh of relief. But her nose caught the scent of burnt wood and smoke.

"Ladies, we have to get out of here," she said. "Quickly!"

Mrs. Lovett, Lucinda, and Johanna dashed out of the room just as the fire spread. Lucinda looked back at the hellish inferno as it slowly consumed a satanic nightmare best left forgotten.

"It's over," Lucinda inhaled and exhaled calmly. "It's all over."

The three females retraced their steps through the corridor. As they were rushing through, flames slithered along the floor and walls. The trio hurried up the staircase and returned to the office, closing the secret door behind them just as the basement exploded.

"I'm so glad we survived this ordeal," Johanna placed her hand on her bosom. "If it wasn't for my quick thinking, we would all be dead."

Mrs. Lovett, Johanna, and Lucinda headed back upstairs to their dormitory. It was an interesting scenario: Three Christian females, lucky to have survived a living Hell. Lucinda thought of it to be a startling experience. But it was also something that she would never, ever forget.


End file.
